Two MEPs send letter to Mogherini re Estonian official's detainment in Russia

Photo: RTV.ru

Estonian MEP Urmas Paet and chairman of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) party group Guy Verhofstadt in a joint letter addressed European Union's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in relation to the kidnapping of Estonian security official Eston Kohver and his continued detainment in Moscow.

In the joint letter the MEPs ask Mogherini to speak about the kidnapping and unlawful detainment of Kohver at all bilateral and multilateral meetings with Russian authorities and do everything in her power to help free Kohver, spokespeople for Paet said.

In the letter they also draw attention to the fact that with kidnapping Kohver Russian authorities have breached international laws since Russian security officials illegally entered the Estonian territory and kidnapped an Estonian citizen.

«We are seriously worried about the present proceeding since Kohver's unlawful detention has been extended until Apr. 5 and he has been taken the right for fair trial and the Russia-appointed defense lawyer is not offering appropriate legal help,» the letter states.

«Estonia has taken several diplomatic and consular steps in the bilateral communication with Russia for Kohver to be released immediately,» Paet said.

The letter's authors also draw attention to the medical state of Kohver which has become worse during his detainment. «After several requests an Estonian doctor was allowed to see Kohver thanks to which he received necessary medical care and medication,» Paet said.